'Jungle Book' Live-Action Reboot in the Works With 'Legend of Chun-Li' Scribe

July 10, 2013 (6:36 am) GMT

Disney hires Justin Marks, who wrote Mark Wahlberg's 'The Raven', to pen the big-screen adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling classic tales of Mowgli.

Rudyard Kipling's classic tales will once again get a live-action movie treatment. First breaking the news, The Hollywood Reporter learns that Walt Disney Pictures will develop "The Jungle Book (2017)" and has found its writer in Justin Marks, whose credits include "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li" and "The Raven (2015)".

In 1967, Disney made an animated version of the stories, which center on Mowgli who is raised by wolves and makes friends with bear Baloo and panther Bagheera. "Jungle Book" is the latest Disney animation film that is turned into a live-action after "Alice in Wonderland", "Maleficent" which is based on "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella" which will be directed by Kenneth Branagh.

As of now, no producers and director have been secured to work on the project, which is in the early stages and currently has no start date yet.

Warner Bros. also develops its own live-action version of the Mowgli adventure. Steve Kloves, who wrote the majority of the "Harry Potter" films, has been on board to pen the adaptation.

A stage version of the India-set book was premiered on July 1 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman served as director for the musical production.